~ Wife. Mother. Skeptic. Atheist. Smartass.

Monthly Archives: August 2011

People often ask about the dead bird on our wall. It’s a little brown sparrow, perched on driftwood, his head cocked. But there’s more in the shadowbox, and that’s when the explanation gets a little…complicated.

It is absolutely unsurprising that Chip and I met online. I mean, he does all his shopping there. And the way I saw it, the kind of guy I wanted to meet would know exactly what he wanted, what he didn’t want, and would be looking for something permanent. It sounded logical and efficient, and I detested “trying to meet guys.” Additionally, I was temporarily living back in my home town, and I already knew there was no one there that I wanted to date. That’s why I left in the first damn place.

After two years of being told I was going to hell, of defending myself and my lack of blind faith, and the second summer of Jesus-based camp songs, my parents enrolled me in the public high school, bad reputation at all.

When Chip and I started dating, he lived in one half of a duplex with Chris, who he’s known since little league. Around the time we decided to live together, the neighbors in the other half moved out, and Chip snapped it up. Now we live in one side, and Kori, another friend, moved in with Chris in the other. The houses are identical layout, about 550 square feet, two bedrooms, no closets.

With all the anti-choice bills going on nationwide, I feel I need to tell my story. The anti-choice people are gaining too much ground, and we have to speak out or else we will lose all our rights. Women don’t have late-term abortions because they changed their mind about having a baby. They aren’t doing it because having a disabled child might be “inconvenient.” They do it out of love. WE do it out of love. My abortion was the most loving thing I did for my first son.

I have been smoke free since February 2010, but oh my god, I want a cigarette so damn bad today. I dreamed about smoking last night. A pack of Sampoerna, all crisp and white with that bold red square in the middle; the white A stark and dignified over a gold basketweave pattern. Taking one of the slim, graceful tubes and lighting it, hearing the deep, slow crackle as I inhale. The slightly spicy smell of the smoke, the sweet taste left on my lips because they dip the filters in honey…

I used to fly cross-country all the time. At least once a year, Portland to Pittsburgh and back again. As an “unaccompanied child” in a pre-9/11 era, it was a blast. I looked forward to the flights. I loved going through security (back then, it was just the metal detector and the thing for your bags, and you could have a soda and nail clippers and nobody cared), loved lugging my big boxcar suitcase with the leash and the wheels. And the matching carry on bag. So grown up! Of course, I also was lugging my giant stuffed panda, so maybe not quite so grown up, but still.

I am very much hoping that, along with the return of my writing skills, I’ll find some reading skills. I haven’t been able to read anything longer than a Cracked article for years now. I’m keeping up on news and events and blogs and all that stuff, but recreational reading? Only if I’m rereading stuff I have pretty much memorized.

The Nostalgia Chick
Not surprisngly, the Nostalgia Chick goes more in depth than the Critic (who swears more, which is a point in his favor). Man, I’m glad someone else remembers Jem and the Holograms.

The Nostalgia Critic
Great mashup reviews of stuff from childhood. Because the 80’s were SOOOOOOOOO long ago…

Copyright & Policies

All content copyright 2007-2015 Abbey Willson/KumquatWriter.
Any correspondence may be published in whole or in part at my sole discretion unless specified as private. I do not delete comments unless requested by the author. I will make fun of your hate mail.
Please be respectful with your pronouns and only refer to Andrew Blake/Thanfiction with male or neutral language.

Abigail is married to a mad scientist and spawned a smart, funny, beautiful boy who is currently two. She has a degree in Psychology that she doesn't use, a minor in Gender Studies that she sometimes uses, and a rapier wit that she always uses. Geeky, nerdy, irreverent, smart, funny and always weird.